Louver windows



1956 A. G. ARMSTRONG 2,760,242

LOUVER wmnows Filed July 31. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOK ARTH R GRANVILLE ARMSTRONG Aug. 28, 1956 A. G. ARMSTRONG 2,760,242

LOUVER wmnows 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1953 INVEN OK ARTH K GRANVILLE ARM5TKON6- United States Patent Ofice 2,760,242 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 LOUVER WINDOWS Application July 31, 1953, Serial No. 371,585

1 Claim. (CI. 20-62) This invention relates to improved louver windows of the type used in houses or industrial buildings. These windows have the advantages that they give good admittance of light and may be adjusted to give particularly good ventilation control. However, they have the disadvantage that, if exposed to severe weather conditions, strong wind or driving rain may pass between the louver mullions and the louver clips pivotally connected thereto.

This invention has the principal object of providing a louver window which is particularly effective in excluding wind or rain when the louvers have been closed. Another object of the invention is to provide a louver window which is so made that there is no likelihood of the louver clips wearing paint or other anti-corrosive finish from the mullions to which they are pivoted.

According to the present invention, a louver window includes a pair of mullions, and a number of channelled louver clips are associated with each mullion, each clip being mounted at an intermediate position on a pivot, journaled in an embossed bearing in a mullion. The clips are adapted to receive the ends of louver blades, ordinarily of glass, the louver clips being so made and arranged that when the blades are in closed position they overlap and are brought into contact. On each mullion a weather bead extends from each louver clip pivot to the louver clip pivot next below, its upper part being in rear of a lower part of the upper louver clip, its intermediate part passing obliquely from rear to front below the overlapping parts of the two louver clips, and its lower part being in front of an upper part of the lower louver clip. The louver clips are shaped to fit closely to the embossed pivot bearings, to clear the mullions and to clear the oblique intermediate parts of the weather beads.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a system of louvers according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of the mullion and a pivot fitment of the louver system;

Figure 3 shows in perspective one of the louver clips; and

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of part of the system of louvers, with the clips in closed position, and the glass louver blades removed.

The louver system shown in the drawings includes a pair of upright mullions of channelled sheet metal.

construction, each adapted to be secured as by screws passing through screw-holes 11 to a timber stud.

There are pressed from the inner face of each of the mullions 10 a number of equally spaced bosses 12, through each of which is formed a hole 13 co-axial with the boss and which forms a pivot bearing. There are also pressed from the inner face of each mullion weather beads 14, one of which extends from the top of the mullion to the uppermost boss 12, successive weather beads 13 extending between successive bosses 12, and one Weather bead extending from the lowermost boss 12 of the mullion to the bottom thereof.

In each of the pivot bearings 13 there is rotatably fitted a disc-shaped pivot 15, having an integral and coaxial disc-shaped enlarged head 16, which is located Within the channel of the mullion, the end of the pivot remote from its head being flush with the extended face of the boss 12 in which the bearing is formed. From the pivot 15 there extend two integral studs 17, and a pair of integral studs 18 extend from the enlarged pivot head 16.

Corresponding studs 18 of the heads 16 of pivots 15 associated with one of the mullions are engaged in apertures in a pair of similar operating bars 19, the studs then being riveted over. The two operating bars are pivoted to an operating handle (not shown) in wellknown manner, so that the pivots of that mullion may be simultaneously rotated for some distance in one direction or the other.

Mounted on each of the pivots 15 is a louver clip 20 made of sheet metal, and in the form of a fairly deep channel adapted to engage one end of a glass louver blade 21. The side 22 of the louver clip is formed at about its middle with a concavity 23, as shown particularly in Figure 3, adapted to interfit closely with a boss 12, the remaining portions of the side 22 of the clip then being adapted to approach closely but not touch the mullion 10. Two holes 24 through the concaved part of the side 22 of the clip 2i) receive studs 17 of a pivot 15, the studs then being riveted over to hold the clip firmly to the pivot.

The upper part of the front web 25 of the clip 20, and the lower part of the rear web 26 thereof, are cut away, and the upper and lower ends of the side 22 of the clip are cut away, as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 3. The lower end of the front web 25 is bent over at a right angle to form a supporting stop 27 adapted to support an end of the louver blade 21, and the upper end of the rear web 26 is bent over at a right angle to form a retaining stop 28. The upper part of the rear web 26 is adapted to be bent rearwardly to permit an end of the louver blade 21 to be slipped into the clip, after which it is bent back to the position shown so that the retaining stop holds the blade engaged in the clip.

In order that glass blades 21 of different gauges may be held firmly in the clips 2% without rattling, the rear web 26 of each clip is formed with a longitudinal cut 29, and the metal to the side of the clip remote from the mullion is bent somewhat towards the front web 25 to form a spring leaf 30.

When the operating bars 19 have been moved to bring the louver blades 21 to fully closed position, the lower part of one blade overlaps the upper part of the blade next below, the cut-away construction of the front and rear webs of the clips permitting the glass blades to be in contact. The Weather beads 14, other than the uppermost and lowermost, are such that when the louver clips are in fully closed position, the upper part of the bead lies closely behind the lower part of a louver clip, and the lower part of the bead lies closely in front of the upper part of the louver clip next below. The intermediate part of the weather bead 14 passes obliquely from the rear of the upper clip to the front of the lower clip; and in order that this intermediate portion will not be fouled by the louver clips 20, each of the said clips is appropriately shaped, the upper part of its rear web 26 and the lower part of its front web 25 being reduced in width by being cut away from the side nearer to the mullion 10. The sides of the louver blades will not foul the intermediate parts of the weather beads 14, being held spaced from the sides 22 of the clips 20 by reason of the shaped middle parts of the clips, and also the rivetedover ends of the pivot studs 17.

The uppermost weather head 14 of each mullion is similar to the lower and intermediate parts of each weather beadflextending between successive pivots, and the lowermost'weather bead is similar to the upper and intermediate parts of each of the weather beads between pivots. When the louver blades are closed, then, the uppermost weather bead isv closely in frontof the upper part of an uppermost clip, and the lowermost weather bead is closely. in rear of the lower part of a lowermost clip.

Adjustable louvers according to the invention are very advantageous in that they will, when closed, form an efiective barrier to wind or driven rain. Moreover, as there is a clearance between the louver clips and the mullions, a painted or otherwise treated surface on the mullions will not be liable to be scratched or rubbed off owing to, operation of the louvers.

What I claim is:

A louver window including a pair of parallel mullions; longitudinal series. of corresponding equally spaced bosses extending from the facing surfaces of the two mullions;

a co-axial bearing in-eaehboss; a pivot rotatablein each bearing; louver clips engaging the ends of louver blades, each clip, at an intermediate position, being recessed to receive a bearing boss and secured to a pivot, the clips of each mullion overlapping when the blades are closed; and weather beads extending from the facing surfaces of the two mullions, each extending between bearing bosses, and with its upper part in rear of a lower part of a louver clip, its, lower part in front of the upper part of the louver clip nexttbelow, and its intermediate. part passing obliquely from rear to front past the overlapping parts of the two louver clips, these overlapping parts being shaped to clear the oblique intermediate part of the weather bead. 

